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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
PROGRESS OF JAPANESE AS PIANO AND ORGAN MANUFACTURERS.
The Review Correspondent Sends Interesting Review of Conditions in Japan—Manufacturing
Plants Springing Up on All Sides—Japanese Piano Manufacturers Destined to Enter World's
Markets—How the Japanese Learn Their Trade and Appropriate Something More Than
Ideas—Importance of Registering Patents, Trade Marks and Names—How a New Piano
Action Was Copied—Why the Japanese Become Dangerous Competitors—Music Trade Fac-
tories as Busy as Can be—Will There be a Steinway Stencil?—Big Emigration to the States
—Wages Ridiculously Low—Eastern Markets in Danger—Some Strenuous Competition.
(Special to The Review.)
Yokohama, Japan, Dec. ai, 1906.
A condition exists at present in Japan that
is little known to the American, manufacturer at
large. The Japanese are looked upon as being
the Yankees of the East. This, statement is only
too true, when it comes to creating competition
with the world, but there is a most serious con-
dition existing at present, and unless the manu-
facturers take measures to change it, they will
ere long find the entire markets of the Far East,
if not all countries that are not protected by
treaties covering patentable articles, closed to
them. Within the past two months all the trade
organizations of Germany have arisen to the sit-
uation, and are placing facts before their mem-
bers.
Japanese Imitate American Goods.
The American papers have quoted many times
that the Japanese continually imitate American
goods, and only recently the Colt Arms Co. have
discovered that their Oriental trade has vanished
to the Japanese, who are making all their fire-
arms not only in Japan but in China as well.
There is not an American firm in the Far East
who has not taken this up with such firms as
they represent, but it seems impossible for the
American manufacturer to realize what Japan
and the Japanese really are.
The recent war with Russia has been of great
benefit to Japan, and while large war loans have
been made, it is not generally known that most
of this foreign money was spent at home and
not abroad. It is this money that is creating
such a "boom," if it is proper to so term the pres-
ent industrial situation. Manufacturing plants are
springing up on all sides, and your readers no
doubt are only interested in the piano and organ
branches, either as suppliers of machinery, raw
materials or the manufactured articles.
Growth of Piano and Organ Industry.
Now what has happened within the past five
years? The piano and organ industry has in-
creased along the same lines as others, and who
do we find as proprietors, or foremen in each
and every factory? Japanese who have been to
America and entered factories there, to learn
the trade, and incidentally make drawings of
every private piece of machinery contained there-
in. These Japanese are looked upon as good
fellows, hard workmen, well liked; they must
not be censured for such actions but admired.
But is it not these very same manufacturers
that are now suffering as a result of such en-
couragement?
Your correspondent recently met an importer
of American organ parts in Japan who, when
discussing this very question, stated that he had
taken up the matter with the firm he represents,
who in turn replied that they had nothing to
fear, as their private machines had not even
been patented. This importer asked them to
refer to a testimonial they gave some years back
to a Japanese workman when he was leaving
the factory. When he left the factory he had
more than the testimonial; he had working
models and drawings of every machine contained
in the factory, and at present duplicates of these
machines are manufacturing parts of pianos and
organs in Japan, to be sold in Europe, Australia,
and Mexico a& against American competition.
copies of same, including the drawings, can be
had of the patent office for the sum of 10 cents.
At present there is a company located at Tokyo,
who make a business of securing a copy of every
patent so issued through a representative living
at Washington. This company waits for the
time limit to expire, as, according to Japanese
law, such patentable articles must be patented
in Japan within two years after the date of the
issuance of the patent at Washington. If this
is done then the company in question drops
same; if not, they then place the matter, show-
ing patent, drawings, etc., before such Japanese
houses as might be interested, who pay a small
fee for the information.
American Patents Should be Registered.
"The Japanese then register same according to
Japanese law, and the manufacture of same be-
gins. All this could be stopped by the invest-
ment of about $50, which is the fee for such regis-
tration.
"This can be said for the Japanese: tnus far
several firms have brought suit for infringement,
and when they have been able to prove their
position they have always been favored with a
decision. Therefore whenever an American in-
ventor wishes protection let him comply with
the laws of Japan, and he will have Japan as-
sisting him. If he fails to take precaution let
him suffer, and not blame the Japanese."
An advertiser some time ago exhibited through
the medium of a trade paper a drawing of a
new piano action, stating that same was duly
protected by patents in the following countries—
Japan was not mentioned. My importing friend
informed me that he was shown a working model
of this same action within two months after
the magazine had arrived in Japan. This does
not show that the magazine was at fault but
that the inventor had neglected to patent in the
very country that is the coming competitor for
the world to be afraid of.
Low Wages Paid in. Factories.
I asked my friend another question: Why
are they dangerous competitors? To which the
following reply was offered:
"As cabinet workers they beat the world, as
is shown by the handsome carvings many nun
dred years old. The workmen are easily sat-
isfied; they work not less than ten hours daily.
Women are classed the same as men. Women
do all the rubbing, polishing, packing as well as
the general utility work; wages about 20 cents
gold per day. The men are paid a higher rate;
those running the planers and such work about 30
cents per day, while finishers, tuners and what
one in America would term a tradesman would
receive not to exceed 60 cents per day. The high-
est salaries paid to expert workmen do not exceed
80 cents per day."
Lumber is cheaper than in the States, and ex-
cept on the high class organs or pianos, where
American varnish is used, the native black
lacquer is used exclusively.
Factories Overcrowded With Orders.
At the present moment there are orders for
more organs than the present factories can turn
out for the next six months, mostly from China,
India, Mexico, England and Australia. One Chi-
nese merchant at Canton was in the office of my
importing friend some days ago,, de§ir_o.us of hav-
Advocates Shutting Factories to Japanese.
I asked how this could be avoided, to which ing him place an order for 1,000 baby organs,
the importer replied: "Shut factories to Japanese but after a canvass of the different factories
workmen, who in a great many cases are not found that same could not be placed.
The export reviews show a decrease of Amer-
common workmen but owners, or their foremen
seeking new ideas; secondly, comply with the ican made organs. Can it be possible that al-
laws of Japan covering foreign patents. It seems ready Japan has made herself felt, although the
that Americans securing patents are not aware industry is only in its infancy. Therefore if the
of. the fact that after a patent is once secured American manufacturer desires^to protect his ex-
port trade, let him commence at home and be
more careful as to who enters his factory; and
above all, extend his patents to Japan, either
through some person residing in Japan or
through the Consul or Japanese Legation at
Washington.
I have referred here only to the music trade
but the same might be said of nearly every
industry.
Stenciling Leading Piano Names.
In drawing my interview to a close, another
suggestion was offered, that all manufacturers of
standard grades of pianos and organs have their
names and trade marks registered, A very sim-
ple proposition and inexpensive. It is certain
that as the piano industry improves such names
as Steinway, etc., will appear on Japanese-made
pianos, which, according to Japanese law, can-
not be prevented unless the firm in question
registers same. In fact, it is still a question for
the courts to decide as to whether a Japanese
has not the right to make a piano and call it
the Steinway, and register the name and thus
prevent a Steinway piano from being sold here,
except with his consent. Similar cases are at
present pending in the courts here. Within the
past year many thousand trade marks and names
have been registered here to prevent just such
conditions.
My importing friend is quite pro-Japanese, but
then he is frank enough to point out that the mar-
ket for American goods in the Far East is in
danger unless manufacturers use proper precau-
tion to protect themselves.
Japan is smaller by far than the State of
Texas; still it has over 45,000,000 people, and no
sign of race suicide, large families being the
rule. The exodus to the States the past year
has been something enormous, mostly returning
soldiers; in fact. Japan can send to the States
1,000,000 annually and not miss them. Most of
these Japanese do not expect to reside perma-
nently in the States, but to make their stake,
learn a trade, then return for the benefit of Japan.
ENTERTAINED BY STEINWAY & SONS.
O. A. Field, of the Jesse French Piano &
Organ Co., and several other dealers from the
Southern States, were elaborately entertained by
Steinway & Sons last week while in New York,
Ernest Urchs being master of ceremonies. The
chief features were a banquet and a theater party.
DISTINCTIVELY HIGH GKADE"
S6e CHRISTMAN
STUDIO GRAND
is the greatest success of the day.
It possesses a scale of rare even-
ness, a tone of remarkable sonority
and richness, with a quality that
is highly orchestral. Our latest
styles of Grands and Uprights
mark a decided advance in the art
of piano-making. We court inves-
tigation. Some territory still open.
CHRISTMAN SONS, Manufacturer.
FACTORY AND OFFICE:
WAHEROOMS:
869-873 East 137th St.
35 West 14th St.
NEW YORK